John Byrne's essential telly for the coming week includes the highly anticipated HBO drama Westworld, a Louis Theroux documentary on Jimmy Savile, and Kevin McGahern's America.
Pick of the week
Westworld, Sky Atlantic, 9pm Tuesday October 5
One of the most anticipated US dramas of the year – and certainly its hype is of Netflix proportions – finally arrives on Sky Atlantic.
JJ Abrams, the award-winning director of Star Trek Beyond and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and Jonathan Nolan, the writer of Interstellar and The Dark Knight, are behind the latest epic from HBO. That's promising, right?
With a cast that includes Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris, James Marsden and Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld is based on the 1973 film of the same name. Set in the near future, it's about a hedonistic theme park set in the Wild West.
Synthetic hosts, indistinguishable from human beings, indulge visitors' every desire, be they noble and idealised, or dark and depraved. It's a place where your wildest dreams can come true. But there's a nightmare on the horizon . . . Sounds a bit like The X Factor.
Sunday October 2
Painting the Nation, RTÉ One 7.30pm
Presented by Pauline McLynn, Painting the Nation is a competition to uncover and showcase the best amateur painting talent across the island of Ireland.
It all kicks off with this one-hour special which introduces the seven amateur painters. From Cork to Laois to Meath to Wexford we they include carpenters, geologists, full-time mums, students and grannies from across Ireland who share a dream of painting for a living. No, not panting. Painting.
Louis Theroux – Savile, BBC Two 9pm
In light of the posthumous unmasking of Jimmy Savile as a predatory sex offender, and 15 years on from the BBC documentary When Louis Met Jimmy, Louis Theroux sets out to understand how a man who was at the centre of British entertainment and charitable fund-raising for decades was able to get away with a long litany of monstrous crimes.
Theroux talks to some of Savile's victims, to people who worked closely with him, and re-examines moments from the original film as well as footage that’s never aired before on television. Grisly isn't in it.
Tuesday October 4
Kevin McGahern's America, RTÉ2, 9.30pm
This is a brand new show in which the Republic of Telly fella explores various aspects - mostly dysfunctional, it would appear - of life in America.
With the US presidential race in full swing, this opening episode sees McGahern dive into trigger-happy America to meet the paranoid patriots who want smaller government and bigger guns. In Florida, he gets schooled by a group of survivalists eager to teach him how to disarm a would-be attacker.
You get the drill? He's chasing the nut-jobs.
The Catch, RTÉ2 10.30pm
Frothy doesn't even come close to describing this far-fetched fluff and, despite a fine cast, it's hard to watch more than a few episodes without fearing for the lack of purpose in your life. Or a cat.
Mireille Enos plays Alice Vaughan, LA’s top private investigator and the type of woman you don’t want to mess with unless you want to end up in a mess yourself.
Somehow, she gets played for a fool and conned by her fiance Benjamin Jones (Peter Krause), but when she tries to find him and the loot he stole from her, her heart starts ruling her head again.
The great John Simm will turn up later on, when the plot heads on a course for Planet Daft.
Devious Maids, RTÉ2 8.35pm
In the final season of Marc Cherry's telenovela pastiche about housemaids working for the wicked and wealthy of Beverly Hills, Marisol finds herself hitting Hollywood and falling in love, Zoila creating a new life for herself while the adorable Rosie tries to clear Spence's name.
Unlike The Catch, this is proper fluff - and hugely enjoyable because it's played mostly for laughs. There's a great cameo from Eva Longoria in the season opener.
Empire, E4 10pm
The soapy, mouthy hip hop drama returns for a third season, with the great Taraji Penda Henson ready to chew another block or two of Manhattan scenery as the chippy ex-wife of label boss Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard).
As we rejoin the Lyon clan, Hakeem has been left at the altar, while a rooftop fight between Anika and Rhonda results in a tragic fall. Lucious uses his streaming service to pursue his music legacy and clashes with Tariq, who leads a federal task force to investigate him. Families, eh?
Wednesday October 5
Pat Kenny Tonight, TV3 9.30pm
The former Late Late Show host, more recently hosting his own radio show on Newstalk, is back on the small screen scene with this new current affairs series.
Pat's not flying solo though (despite the title). He'll be joined by Colette Fitzpatrick as the issues of the day get discussed in front of a live audience.
Thursday October 6
The Apprentice, BBC One 9pm
Alan Sugar returns for a new run of the show that makes mincemeat of its contestants when they fail to impress the gaffer. Which is often.
There are a couple of Irish wannabes on board - Dubliner Dillon St Paul formerly of another reality show, Fade Street and Gráinne McCoy from Newry - so it'll be fun seeing how they get on with Sugar, Karren Brady and Claude Littner.
Friday October 7
Containment, RTÉ2 12.45am
You might want to set this one to record considering the ungodly hour it's on at. This is a so-so dystopian drama that unfortunately guarantees a loss of interest with each new episode. But at least the pilot's fun.
When a mysterious and deadly epidemic breaks out in Atlanta, a vast urban quarantine is quickly enforced, forcing those stuck on the inside to fight for their lives while local and federal officials desperately search for a cure.
Have I Got News for You, BBC One 9pm
Believe it or not, this is the 52nd season of the topical quiz show. As ever, Paul Merton and Ian Hislop are back as team captains, with a new guest host in the hot seat every week from now on. Hmmm. Whatever happened to Angus Deayton?
Box Set of the week
Rick and Morty, Netflix
From October 1 you can watch seasons one and two of this superb animated series from Adult Swim.
It's a science fiction sitcom that follows the misadventures of alcoholic scientist Rick and his easily influenced grandson Morty, who split their time between domestic family life and inter-dimensional travel. It's hilarious. And most definitely not for kids with chemistry sets.
